


Poetry

by MaryBarrens



Series: Merlin Translations [6]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Knights ship Merthur, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-05
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-06-06 15:32:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,109
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6759646
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaryBarrens/pseuds/MaryBarrens
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mordred did know something, his face serious when he asked them if it was only him or if there really was something more between Arthur and Merlin. He looked sincerely surprised when Leon choked on his mead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Poetry

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Poetry](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3364886) by [MaryBarrens](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaryBarrens/pseuds/MaryBarrens). 



Leon was trying not to laugh. 

Who would ever think that knights – out of all the people of Camelot it was the knights, who were supposed to be objective and focused no matter the circumstances – were either half mad or had really bad sense of humor? Well, Gwaine really had some _very bad_ sense of humor, even when sober, and it was much worse when he´s had a few. If it was only Gwaine, Leon would probably just shake his head or roll his eyes at him and wouldn´t tire himself by saying anything. 

But Gwaine wasn´t the only one. 

And that was what had Leon confused. Gwaine, he could understand. But the others? Quiet Percival? Elyan, the queen´s brother? Why would they make up something like that? 

Even Mordred agreed with them, after only few months in Camelot, and what could he know after such a short time? 

He did know something however, his face serious when he asked them if it was only him or if there really was something more between Arthur and Merlin. He looked sincerely surprised when Leon choked on his mead. 

„What did I say?“ Mordred asked the others, baffled. He frowned when Gwaine started to laugh so hard he almost fell off his chair, while Leon was still coughing. 

Percival smiled a little, in that comforting way of his, and shrugged. „It´s just – you´re not the first one to think that.“ 

Elyan nodded with amusement. „We all do.“ He grinned and lifted an eyebrow, looking at the older knight. „Except for Leon, of course. He doesn´t believe us.“ 

Leon finally stopped coughing. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and shook his head. How did they even came up with something like that? Just because Arthur and Merlin were the king and a servant and they were always together (And that was the intention of having a servant, wasn´t it? Why would anyone have a servant who wouldn´t be at their side at all times?), just because Merlin was the only one who not only dared to defy Arthur, openly even, in front of all the knights, without being punished for it, or just because he followed Arthur into any danger, without hesitation, even if he was not armed or trained in any way, or that he was so important for the king that Arthur kept coming back for him, it didn´t necessarily mean that –

„I don´t believe it, because it´s stupid,“ Leon stated, his voice hoarse from all the choking. 

Gwaine rolled his eyes, obviously dissatisfied with Leon´s comment. 

Fine. Gwaine could go screw himself for all he cared. 

Leon drank deeply again. 

„I don´t understand,“ Mordred admitted and glanced around the other knights, before focusing on Leon. „If everyone thinks that Merlin and the king are – you know… Why don´t you believe them?“ 

Leon´s shoulders dropped. How should he explain? Mordred was so young, he´s been in Camelot for just a few months. He didn´t know much about how it worked here, he´s never met Uther or seen how Merlin´s been at Arthur´s side when the old king died, how he´s never left him. Mordred hasn´t been here when Arthur´s been too young still and not much more than a spoiled bully, before Merlin came to Camelot and insulted Arthur and started to treat him like a person, not just a prince, and made him think about his actions. Mordred wasn´t here when Merlin saved the prince´s life and Uther awarded him with the position at the royal court, he wasn´t here when Arthur started to drag his new manservant around all the time (always complaining about something), he hasn´t seen Merlin always coming with him, never hiding from any danger, always at Arthur´s side. 

„They are friends,“ Leon shrugged. 

Those two were indeed friends, however unlikely it was, because Arthur was a king and Merlin his manservant and apparently not very good at that, which may actually be the reason they didn´t kill each other yet. But the two of them being friends was good, for all of them, because Arthur needed someone to treat him like an ordinary person from time to time. The young king needed someone honest and loyal, who he could count on no matter what. 

Gwaine snorted with amusement and for a moment Leon thought that Gwaine probably thinks him naive. He forced himself not to grate his teeth, but Percival and Elyan exchanged looks nevertheless. 

Leon decidded to ignore them and returned to his drink. 

„Really?“ Mordred frowned and scratched behind his neck. Then he smiled. „I always thought that friends don´t kiss each other.“ 

Leon choked on his mead again and started to sputter it all around. „What?“ he managed when he was able to breathe once more. 

Gwaine wasn´t even polite enough to at least _pretend_ that he was surprised. 

Mordred shrugged. „I wasn´t going to mention it,“ he admitted softly, a little embarrassed. Well, considering that he´s just given away something of the king´s private business, in front of the others, it was appropriate to feel embarrassed. 

Leon stared into distance, silently going over everything he´s been always thinking about as a friendship. He thought about Arthur and Merlin never being far away from each other and Arthur going crazy every time something happened to Merlin, to the point of coming after Merlin himself when he was missing and the knights searching for him failed. Arthur trusting Merlin, Merlin being unbelievably loyal. Arthur smiling amusedly, every time Merlin spoke out of turn, or staring at the boy across the campfire when they were out in the woods, or the two of them, sitting together close to the dying fire, their heads just next to each other, talking quietly, when Leon woke up. 

Then he remembered meeting them in the dark corridor a few months ago, in the middle of the night, both Merlin and Arthur wearing the same guilty face and Merlin trying to explain their presence there, using some absurd excuse about a poetry lesson. Maybe Gwaine was right after all. Maybe _all of them_ were right. 

Oh god. Was _poetry_ really a metaphor for _that_?

Leon opened his mouth but wasn´t able to say a word, so he just looked around the other knights. Was he stupid or something? Blind, maybe? He bowed his head. 

Gwaine barked out a laugh, leaned forward to him and patted his shoulder. 


End file.
